Field
The present disclosure relates generally to dental restorations, and, in particular, to the use of a CAD/CAM system to produce a dental prosthesis.
Background
Restoring or repairing one or more of a patient's teeth often involves the preparation and attachment of a dental prosthesis such as a crown, bridge, or denture. Dentures are constructed to replace missing teeth and are supported by the surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. One type of denture, known as a non-splinted overdenture, comprises a partial or full dental prosthesis that is supported by a ball attachment on a dental implant. The non-splinted overdenture generally includes matrices to removably attach the prosthesis to the ball attachments of the dental implants. A dental implant, which is a surgical component that interfaces with the bone of the jaw or skull of a dental patient to support the dental prosthesis, must first be surgically placed within the dental patient's mouth in order to thereafter attach the dental prosthesis to the dental implant(s).
Preparation of a dental prosthesis, such as a non-splinted overdenture, is preceded by making a physical or digital impression of the dental patient's oral cavity in the area of the restoration site, including the dental implants already inserted within the restoration site. This impression should accurately reflect the physical features of the dental patient's oral cavity, including the dental implants. An accurate impression can yield a well-fitting dental prosthesis that is secure in the patient's mouth, and that is long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing. An ill-fitting dental prosthesis, on the other hand, can increase the patient's risk of infection or disease, and cause shifting in the prepared prosthesis.
Obtaining an accurate impression, and thereafter preparing a well-fitting dental prosthesis, such as a non-splinted overdenture, is not an insignificant task. For example, during fabrication of a dental prosthesis, such as a non-splinted overdenture, errors may occur when transferring a dental implant position(s) from an impression of a patient's oral cavity to the final prosthesis base. However, precision in transferring the implant position(s) to the final prosthesis base is necessary to accurately attach the prosthesis to the dental implant(s) already inserted into the patient's mouth. Currently, conventional casting of a prosthesis base is one of the only manufacturing methods capable of the precision necessary in transferring dental implant positions to the prosthesis base. Conventional casting, however, while requiring extensive, complicated work to prepare the final prosthesis base, further requires additional finishing steps by a dental technician to trim any projections, and can result in bubbles within the casting that reduce the aesthetics and the stability of the final dental prosthesis.